timeless search for love that might work
by fineskylarkk
Summary: An old friend stops by to visit Cordelia and stirs up an unfamiliar feeling in Misty - jealousy.


Misty Day isn't used to this feeling. A white hot sickness is taking root in her stomach, unfurling like smoke and licking through her veins with an intensity that has her gripping the glass beaker tight enough to almost shatter it. It takes her a moment to catch her breath, to will herself to unclench the hold she has on the fragile bottle. Setting it on the table, she flexes her fingers in an effort to relieve some their tension and turns away from the women standing before her, searching for some believable distraction within her coveted greenhouse.

Misty has only felt like this once before, at least that she can recall. It was back when Hank had showed up and begged Cordelia to take him back. Misty remembers feeling protective of the Supreme in that moment, back when she was "just a witch" and a mere headmistress. The tendrils of love were newly starting to take root in Misty's heart but even then, at the very beginning, she'd been reluctant to leave Cordelia's side, and was elated when the woman asked her to stay. It was a proud moment when she'd deemed their business far more important than Hank's trivial, overdue confessions of love. The greenhouse had already started feeling like "their" space, a haven for the two women to grow and heal and prosper together. Although it'd only been a few days of shared teachings, Misty was thrilled to have her inner apprehension soothed by Cordelia's outright rejection of her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

Well, before he died and she technically became a widow, anyway.

Today, however, is different. Cordelia greets the stranger not with a cold stare and biting words, but warmly, with rare affection and a comfortable embrace - this very tall, very _beautiful_ stranger, whose red hair is long, silky, and curled in a way that brings to mind vintage Hollywood movie stars. Misty self-consciously touches her own messy hair, wondering if she even remembered to brush it this morning. Fingering the twisted knots at the bottom of long, unruly strands, she figures she probably didn't.

"Misty, this is my old friend, Kate. We attended academy together back in the day," Cordelia introduces her friend with a sweet smile, a loose grip holding Kate's arm. Misty extends one hand to greet Kate, who hesitates for only a brief moment before reciprocating the handshake. Misty glances down and realizes her own nails are embedded with dirt, palms stained brown with mud. Normally, she wouldn't give it a second thought, but she can't help noticing that Kate's hands are pale and smooth, like marble, her nails sculpted and painted in a proper manicure.

"Pleasure to meet you, Misty," a pleasant voice greets her and _oh fuck, is that a British accent? Of course it's a British accent._ "Although I wouldn't yet refer to myself as _old_ ," she continues teasingly, glancing at Cordelia.

"Pleasure's all mine," Misty returns through gritted teeth, grasping the other woman's hand a bit harder than necessary, if her grimace is anything to go by.

"Do you still have time for lunch today, Cords? Or perhaps an afternoon tea, for old time's sake?" Kate asks, already removing her hand from Misty's and returning her gaze back to the Supreme.

"Of course," Cordelia responds with a grin, squeezing her friend's upper arm. "I should be able to make that work. Let me get cleaned up first - we've been out here all morning trying to save our _calendula officinalis_."

"Excellent!" Kate declares, smiling brightly. "Shall we try somewhere new?" she asks, linking her arm with Cordelia's and leading her through the house door, voices fading as they walk into the kitchen.

Misty stares at the closed door, a heavy silence filling the greenhouse. Her lips press tightly together and turn downwards in the corners, her brow furrowing in concentration as she tries to process everything that just happened. _I bet she doesn't even know what a calendula officinalis is_.

Without warning, the delicate beaker Misty had been holding flies across the room and shatters against the closed door, fragments of glass spraying in all directions. _Shit damn telekinesis, haven't quite learned how to control you yet, have I?_ Sighing, she unclenches the fists she hadn't realized were balled tightly at her sides and grabs a dustpan, praying no one inside the house heard the commotion. _At least my intention was strong_.

* * *

Misty is standing in the kitchen a little while later, sleeves roughly pushed up to her elbows as she tries to scrub the dirt out from under her blunt nails. The soap smells like the ocean, and it calls forth images of her and Cordelia standing together in that very same spot just over a week ago, washing dishes by hand. Cordelia finds washing dishes soothing because _of course she does_ and Misty had offered to help because doing literally anything with Cordelia is her favorite pastime. Misty made a joke about the Supreme being a _supreme dork_ , which had earned her one of her favorite smiles - the one where Cordelia laughs out loud before her lips stretch into a wide, beautiful grin, her eyes shining with humor and something Misty thinks could be a sparkle reserved just for her.

"Damn, Swampy, are you trying to scrub your skin _off_?" a sharp voice quips from by the refrigerator.

 _Shit_ , Misty thinks to herself, closing her eyes and letting out a soft sigh. "Just tryin' to get this mud off, thanks," she replies without so much as a glance at Madison, who's standing there taking a long drink from a bottle of water and eyeing her with a knowing look. "Got somethin' to say?" Misty asks, eventually turning to acknowledge the girl. "Because I've kicked your ass before and I wouldn't mind doin' it again."

Madison scoffs, chucking the empty plastic bottle into the recycle bin. "Oh, please, you love me now," she says, smiling not unkindly, just in a very Madison way.

"Love is a pretty strong word, dontcha think," Misty mutters, turning off the faucet when the water starts scalding her skin in a painful way.

"Nah," Madison disagrees, hopping up to sit on the counter next to Misty. "So, what's bugging you? I've never seen you work so hard to get that magic shit off your hands."

"Maybe I'm just striving for basic hygiene, Hollywood," Misty sighs, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

"Or _maybe_ you're jealous of Cordy's super hot, former best friend turning up out the blue and pulling her away from your precious date together in the greenhouse."

"She didn't turn up out the blue, they made plans to meet up a couple days ago when she called to say she was coming to town," Misty mumbles, wiping her hands with a dish towel.

"But you _are_ jealous?" Madison presses. Misty's reply is a noncommittal hum, nothing more than a small vibration inside her throat. A beat of silence passes, and then Madison continues. "Because you _do_ know Cordelia is like, batshit crazy about you, right?"

Misty stops moving, stops breathing, simply sets the towel down, rests her hands on the counter, and stares down into the sink, eyes fixated on the white porcelain. She says nothing, just stands and thinks.

Madison hops down, awkwardly patting Misty's shoulder before she lights up a cigarette and heads out of the room. "Not even Hottie Tottie McRedhead can erase those heart eyes she has for you, Swampy."

* * *

Misty sits upstairs in her room, one of the few witches lucky enough to have space all to herself. No one had argued with Cordelia over this, whether it's because she's the Supreme or because the Coven collectively decided the time Misty spent in hell warranted a little extra privacy. Madison and Cordelia herself are the only other two afforded this luxury.

Staring at her reflection, she seriously considers her appearance for possibly the first time in her life. Vanity wasn't permitted when she was growing up, and as a result her family had practically no mirrors in the house. She's pretty, she thinks. She's not pretty like Madison or Zoe, not smooth and polished and shiny. Not like Queenie, whose confidence and beauty radiates through her like kinetic energy. But still… she's not horrible to look at. She'd used dirt and charcoal to line her eyes back in the swamps, doing her best to emulate Stevie and experiment with her own version of makeup, in the way that girls often do. She'd received her first real eyeliner in her twenties - a gift from Zoe, who also taught her how to apply eye shadow and lipstick. It had been fun. Innocent. But as she sits here, Cordelia currently out on the town with a damn beauty queen, Misty's wondering - should she be trying harder? Should she put greater effort into her appearance? Cordelia sure does, although she supposes that could just be collateral damage from growing up under Fiona's careful watch. Or the fact that she's the _goddamn Supreme_ and Misty is a poor, backwoods swamp witch. She shakes the self-deprecation from her thoughts and heads to the bathroom, grabbing her towel from its hook and gently closing the door behind her.

Standing under the spray of the hot shower, she lets the heat and steam wash over her body, soothing her muscles and calming her racing mind. She pops open the first bottle she borrowed from Madison, who simply handed everything over with a knowing wink before Misty scrambled away, burning with embarrassment. It smells good enough, anyway, a little sweeter than what she usually uses, but not altogether bad. Just different. With a sigh, she squirts the liquid in her palm, rubbing her hands together before massaging the shampoo through her thick mane. She digs her fingers into the roots, pressing hard against her scalp and vigorously washing her hair. It takes much longer than usual but eventually she's done rinsing out the product, stopping briefly to inhale the unfamiliar scent before repeating the process with the borrowed conditioner.

Her hair definitely feels silkier, she decides, running her fingers through wet curls with more ease than she's used to. She grabs a small razor and goes to work on her legs, as usual - she's still a woman after all, something she'd reminded Madison after the snarky witch made a surprised comment about her not having any leg or armpit hair.

Next: soap. She rather likes the smell of her own because it reminds her of the garden, all wildflowers and peonies. She thinks Cordelia likes it, too, because she'd told her so one day when they passed by each other in the hallway as Misty was walking back to her bedroom, post-shower. Mind made up, she squeezes a generous portion into her hand and lathers it over her body until she smells damn near like a garden herself.

Stepping out of the shower, she wraps a towel around her head and another around her body before grabbing Madison's toiletries and making her way back to her room. She lingers in front of her closet, stuck on what to wear. She knows Kate is joining them for dinner and drinks that evening, that much had been established prior to her visit. Misty had honestly never thought about wearing clothes to impress someone before; she'd just put on what she loved and that was that. But today, she finds herself _wanting_ to impress Cordelia, she realizes with a pang. She wants to steal her attention from Kate, to make herself a novelty worthy of the Supreme's interest. So she grabs her favorite black dress, one that dips low in the front with lace adorning the top half, and then hangs loosely from her sharp hips down to her ankles. She rolls her shoulders confidently, working her way up to her full height, and pairs the dress with dark black boots that give an extra two inches on her already tall frame. Shrugging away her embarrassment, she borrows one final item from Madison - a short, cropped leather jacket that covers most of her arms and draws attention to her long, lean torso.

"Swampy… you look hot," Madison declares, signing off on her outfit with a singular clap of her hands. "Like, _really_ hot." Her dark eyes travel over Misty's body as she wets her lips with her tongue, trailing one hand down Misty's arm. "If this whole thing with Cordelia is a bust, you know where to find me," she says, and Misty honestly can't tell if Madison messing with her or not.

Thankfully, Zoe is waiting in her room as she makes her escape, sitting in the chair next to her mirror. "Nothing too extreme," Misty cautions her friend, taking a seat. "I still wanna look like me… just a bit fancied up, I guess."

"I can do that," Zoe assures her with a smile before getting to work. It doesn't take her long, only a few minutes and a couple extra swipes of brushes before she's done with Misty's makeup. Glancing in the mirror, Misty is startled by the subtle changes. Her eyeshadow is brown, maybe a little gold, a couple shades darker than what she's used to wearing. Her blessedly clear skin has been enhanced, with a touch of blush covering her cheeks and dark mascara lengthening her light eyelashes. Her lashes feel heavy against her cheek when she blinks but she can admit, she does love the way they contrast with the bronzed colors Zoe chose for her eyelids. For the first time that she can consciously remember, she feels attractive - if somewhat unnerved.

Zoe steps back and smiles encouragingly at her friend. "You look great, Misty. Still like Misty - just a bit fancied up," she says with a wink. "There is one other thing I wanna try though…"

Misty watches Zoe in confusion when she holds up a small bottle filled with clear liquid. "It's just a hair serum," Zoe explains. "You apply it while the hair is still damp and it helps smooth out your curls."

"Can't hurt to try, I guess," Misty agrees, letting Zoe work the serum through her tangles.

"There," Zoe says, grabbing one of Misty's discarded bath towels to wipe her hands clean. "All done."

* * *

Later, she's sitting in the living room with Madison and Zoe, all three sipping on a pre-dinner cocktail. Misty nervously jiggles her leg up and down until Madison reaches over and smacks her knee. "Get it together, Swamps. It's just dinner - literally the same thing we do every fucking night, except with more booze." Her tone is firm, but not mean, and Misty suddenly understands why Cordelia allows Madison to be in charge of teaching the younger, wilder students. Giving her a curt nod, she slows her leg movements and drains the rest of her glass tumbler, only to have Kyle swiftly replace it with a second. Sometimes, in situations like these, she can't tell if having a butler is very helpful or simply an easier path to self-destruction.

She takes a drink anyway.

It's about fifteen minutes until dinner when Cordelia and Kate come walking through the front door in a fit of giggles, each woman carrying armfuls of shopping bags. The knot in Misty's stomach coils in further, hardening to the point of nausea. She takes another generous sip, letting the alcohol burn its way down her throat and distract her from Cordelia's _stupidly beautiful_ smile.

Kyle swiftly brings Cordelia her usual drink and takes the bags from her hands. "I'll set these in the office for you," he says politely. "Can I get you something to drink, Ms. Kennedy?"

Kate Kennedy, even her name is pretty. It summons images of regality and status, perhaps even beauty. And what does the name _Misty Day_ summon? She scoffs into her glass, rolling her eyes at herself.

Her leg start to bounce again and Madison moves to sit next to her on the couch, placing one hand firmly on Misty's lower thigh to calm her nerves. Misty gives her a grateful smile when the young girl squeezes her knee, hard, and then leaves her hand there. The heavy touch brings Misty out of her foggy panic and helps to tether her to reality, keeping her grounded within the present and easing her panic.

She's surprised to find Cordelia's gaze locked on her when she lifts her head. Something is… _off_ , she decides, but Misty can't quite put her finger on it. Cordelia doesn't look unhappy, per se, but the carefree laughter is gone, and in its place is a tight smile and an inquisitive stare. Her eyes flick between Misty's face and the foreign hand on her knee, as if she can't decide which to focus on. Misty stares back, unable to look away as she watches Cordelia watch her.

They're both snapped from their reverie when Kyle walks into the room with Kate's drink ( _expensive red wine, just like Cordelia, naturally_ ) and refills for the other girls. Madison finally removes her hand to exchange her old glass for a new one from Kyle, but she doesn't thank him - or even look at him, for that matter. Some relationships take longer to heal, and apparently one is that of "murderer" and "victim."

"Where's Queenie?" Cordelia asks, leading Kate into the room after Kyle offers to take their guest's bags to her car.

"In the kitchen with the cook, finishing up dessert," Zoe says happily. Queenie is widely known around the academy for her amazing desserts - pie, crumble, cake, brownies, cobbler - and it's always a happy occasion when she decides to bake something for the Coven.

"So, Kate," Madison says, gliding across the room to greet the beautiful witch. "Any good shopping deals I should know about?" Kate nods eagerly and pulls Madison down next to her on the loveseat, happy to share a seat with a former member of the Hollywood Elite. Cordelia takes a seat on the couch next to Misty, filling the space where Madison previously sat. She sets herself down very primly, almost cautiously, before turning to address Misty.

"Hi," she says quietly, brown eyes still searching for something in Misty's face.

"Hi yourself," Misty says back, nervously reaching up to tug at one of her own curls. She forgets how soft and light her hair feels until her finger is already twisting one strand into a tight coil. "Is everything okay?" she finally asks, unnerved by Cordelia's steady gaze and silence.

"Yes, sorry," Cordelia replies quickly, clasping Misty's free hand reassuringly. Misty's heart flips at the tenderness in her voice and touch, and she leans closer to the Supreme, helplessly drawn to her. "It's just… you look… different? I think?" She says this like she's unsure, like she's trying to spot the difference between two nearly identical photographs.

"Ah, not really," Misty says, a warm blush staining her cheeks. "It's just a little bit of makeup," and her tone is almost defensive, so when Cordelia reaches out to cup her chin for further investigation, Misty finds herself visibly flinching at the contact. Cordelia drops her hand like she'd grabbed an open flame, hurt creeping into her features. Misty feels terrible, wants to explain that she was just tense and surprised, that she doesn't mind Cordelia's touch on her skin, that she is actually _vibrating_ with need for it at all times.

"And your hair?" Cordelia says, visibly fighting against her desire to reach up and feel one strand for herself. "It smells like… is that Madison's shampoo?" she asked, the hurt gradually morphing into confusion.

"Oh, what? Um… yeah, yeah it is," Misty chuckles nervously, pulling her fingers out of her hair. "I used her shampoo and conditioner today, so that's probably - I mean, that's why you smell that. On me."

Before Cordelia can say anything, the cook steps into the room and announces dinner is ready. Misty releases the breath she's been holding, exhaling in relief, and utters not one word before jumping up and beelining for the kitchen, leaving a baffled Cordelia in her wake.

* * *

Dinner is delicious, as usual, although Misty isn't eating with her usual gusto. She half-listens to the conversations happening around her but doesn't speak up to offer any of her own commentary. She feels Cordelia's gaze burning into her as the meal progresses, so she sits up straighter and eats more slowly, not allowing herself to make eye contact. Which is proving to be thoroughly difficult, since she'd neglected to change her seat and is therefore in her usual place to the immediate right of Cordelia.

She's startled out of her silence when Kate directs a question her way. "So, Misty, what is it that you teach?" she asks curiously.

"Ah, well, I mainly do my teachin' in the greenhouse," she replies. "It's sorta like botany, I guess, only with a bit more magic and Latin involved."

"A girl after Cordelia's own heart," Kate responds, winking at Cordelia. Misty is surprised to see Cordelia flush and duck her head before reaching out her leg and kicking Kate's under the table. Kate simply laughs out loud, a sound so lilting and beautiful that even Queenie stops to gawk in amazement.

"You're like a fairy princess," she tells Kate in awe. "A goddamned, real life fairy princess."

"You're sweet," she replies to Queenie, taking another sip from her wine glass to deflect the compliment.

"What is it you do for real?" Zoe asks. "I mean, you're a witch, obviously, but you're not technically in this Coven. Or are you? I'm confused on how that works," she admits.

"Kate is not technically a member of this Coven, however, our Coven does not turn away any true witch in need," Cordelia explains, easily sliding back into her role as the Supreme.

"That's right, love," Kate replies, her accent rolling the endearment off her tongue with ease. Misty puts down her knife and fork, officially acquiescing to her lack of appetite. "I was a student at this academy when I was younger, but I was what the real world would call a 'foreign exchange student.' I was born a witch and in my early teens, my dad's business brought my family overseas to New Orleans. I stayed at Miss Robichaux's until I graduated, then moved back home. As of right now, I'm the head keeper - curator, I believe the term is in the States - for a collection of museums and historical buildings in London and the surrounding areas."

Misty takes a delicate drink from her glass, already feeling the effects from her first two cocktails and wanting to hang on to her sobriety - for the most part, anyway. She faintly hears Zoe respond to Kate but none of the conversations stick with her - her thoughts are jumbled mess of all things Cordelia, all the things she's always known about her and all the things she's learning tonight, and there is simply no room for anything else.

Dinner is wrapping up when Fiona is mentioned for the first time.

"I was sorry to hear about your mother's passing," Kate says, her attention focusing on Cordelia. "She was quite a powerful woman." The admiration in her voice is undeniable, and everyone glances sharply in the Supreme's direction, who, to her credit, doesn't even flinch.

"That she was," she agrees graciously, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin.

"And now look at you!" Kate continues, "Following in her footsteps after all."

Misty's grip tightens around her water glass, which is only partially full thanks to the hydration efforts she's made in order to stave off feeling tipsy. The condensation wetting the outside of her cup is still slick enough that it threatens to slip through hard, clenched fingers. She forces her mind to calm down, but her racing heart seems to have other ideas.

"That's true," Cordelia agrees again, and this time her tone is warning instead of friendly. "However, I do believe the Supremacy is the only thing Fiona and I have in common."

"Perhaps," Kate nods, oblivious to the silence filling the room. "Although, what a fantastic gift to receive from her - all that power. I guess she was good for something, after all."

 _Ah, shit._ Before anyone realizes what's happening, Kate's wine glass shoots straight up into the air and slams into the ceiling. Everyone instinctively covers their head and bends down to hide their faces, Cordelia and Misty almost smashing skulls as they instinctively duck towards each other. _Shit shit shit, my bad, that was definitely my bad._

From under the table, Misty looks at Cordelia with wide eyes, panic and apologies shining though fractals of blue. "I'm sorry," she mumbles so quietly that she's not even sure the other woman hears her until she feels a warm hand squeezing her arm reassuringly.

"I'll grab the broom," Kyle says, abruptly turning on one foot to retrieve the cleaning supplies.

The group hesitantly sits up, taking inventory of the damage. Luckily, the impact of the crash was so intense that the glass shattered into a bunch of small pieces, none larger than a fingernail. Everyone remains mostly uninjured except Cordelia, who has a bright red sliver of blood trickling down her cheek from a small scrape.

"Sorry about that," Cordelia tells Kate, unfazed by the wound. "Magic is somewhat unstable around here, with so many witches still learning how to control their powers."

Kyle returns with a dustpan and begins thoroughly sweeping the floor and table, continuing until he deems it safe enough for them to put their feet back down. Small, red dots stain the tablecloth like blood, and Misty thanks every star in the sky that she waited to lose her shit until Kate was mostly done with her drink.

"Shall we take our dessert in the sitting room?" Cordelia suggests to the silent table, pressing a napkin against her cheek.

* * *

"Misty, I'm _fine_ ," Cordelia insists, the younger witch having all but yanked Cordelia into the greenhouse so she could apply a small dab of healing mud to her cheek.

"I know, darlin', but we don't want your pretty face to scar, do we?" Misty teases, somewhat distracted as she uses a teaspoon to scoop a small amount of mud out of its jar. To her extreme relief, her voice is steady and casual, and her comment earns her a smile from the protesting Supreme.

Reluctantly, Cordelia accedes to being Misty's patient. Smug and appeased, Misty dons a single latex glove - something they'd acquired for sanitary and legal reasons once they started making some of their own medicines for the girls - and traces the glob of mud over Cordelia's cut. Her eyes squint in concentration as she applies the paste, and it's not until she's satisfied with how it looks that she realizes just how close she's standing to Cordelia.

Cordelia's eyes are fixed on her, unwavering in their intensity. Misty grows hot under her darkened stare and it takes her more than a couple heartbeats to react. Licking her suddenly dry lips, she forces herself to take a step back. "All done," she says in a hoarse whisper, pulling the latex glove from her hand and tossing it in the trash can.

"Why isn't there any mud on your hands?" Cordelia inquires abruptly, taking Misty's fingers between her own and raising them to inspect the skin up close. "They're so… bare."

"Oh, uh, well, I washed them today. Scrubbed the stains out from under my nails. Hurt like a bitch, too," she replies, muttering the last part almost to herself.

"I see," Cordelia says, and Misty's breath sticks like hope in her chest, wanting to ask her _do you see, do you really?_ Cordelia caresses Misty's hand in contemplation, lips tightly pulled together as she concentrates her focus on each individual digit - ever the student, ever the teacher. For half a second, Misty thinks she's going to kiss her fingertips, or maybe a knuckle.

"Are you two coming back inside for some damn good apple crumble, or what?" Queenie asks good-naturedly, sticking her head through the doorway to check on them and catching them off-guard. "Also, Cordelia, you might want to have Kyle drive Kate back to her hotel tonight. I think she's pretty shook from the whole exploding wine glass situation because she's downing cabernet like water with Madison right now."

"Thank you, Queenie," Cordelia replies, keeping her eyes on Misty even as she releases her hand. "We're coming in now."

* * *

Back inside the living room, Kate and Madison are immersed in conversation. Alcohol has loosened their tongues and they talk freely about their favorite designers, theorizing why one fancy handbag is better than the other. It's all completely over Misty's head, a confusing topic of conversation that she's not well-versed enough in to follow. A pang hits her chest without warning as an intrusive thought makes its way into her mind - maybe it'd be better if she _was_ into designer labels, maybe it's something Cordelia wants to talk about but can't because the only person around who cares is Madison.

"You have mud on your cheek, love," Kate states, glancing up at Cordelia with the reckless honesty of someone who is inebriated.

"That I do," Cordelia says with a proud smile. "It's Misty's special concoction - a bit of a miracle ointment, really," she commends, and Misty feels a smile pulling at the corners of her lips at the sincerity in Cordelia's voice.

"Speaking of hot," Madison declares, drunkenly barreling on before anyone can stop her to say that no one had, in fact, mentioned anything of the sort. "Your not-girlfriend is _hot_ , Miss Supreme," She allows her watery gaze to linger on Misty, a self-satisfied smile on her face. Cordelia says nothing as she sits on the couch next to Misty, with Misty resting one elbow on the back cushion and propping up her head with her palm. "Like, seriously," Madison continues, "if you don't take advantage of that, I'm ready and willing."

Misty can't help but laugh at Madison's outrageous statement and she buries her head into the back of the couch with an embarrassed grin, raising her middle finger in Madison's direction. Madison smiles and offers up a single wink, parting her lips seductively as she swipes her tongue over her mouth. Misty feels Cordelia tense up, taut body stiffening as she evaluates the situation before her. Once again, brown eyes move between Madison and Misty, her mind clearly working in overdrive as she tries to evaluate the Madison's seriousness. She stays quiet, always choosing to observe silently in lieu of direct confrontation.

Kyle steps into the room with their cook, both carrying plates of apple crumble. Together, they pass the dessert amongst the witches before taking two pieces for themselves and settling in on the stoop in front of the fireplace, keeping a watchful eye on the group.

Conversation flows smoothly between the witches, and they all compliment Queenie on her excellent contribution to their meal. Madison continues to chat with Kate while occasionally turning to make eyes at Misty, offering her exaggerated winks and blowing kisses for the sheer enjoyment of making her blush - and, Misty's sure, because she enjoys getting under Cordelia's skin.

Misty finds herself appreciating the distraction, however obnoxious it is. She laughs out loud at Madison's antics even as she sits next to Cordelia, feeling the Supreme physically react to her own shifting emotions as they progress from confusion to annoyance to something darker, a bit heavier.

Eventually, the night winds to a close and Kate begins her goodbyes. She starts with Madison, unsubtly slipping the girl her number and encouraging her to call so they can "collaborate on a project someday." Misty internally rolls her eyes; the only project she's sure those two can complete together is maxing out their outrageous credit card limit in a single shopping trip.

Too late, Misty realizes it's her turn to say goodnight to Kate, everyone else having bid her farewell. Misty stands and allows the redhead to pull her into an informal hug, surprised when plump lips press a chaste kiss to her cheek. "Don't fuck it up, darling," is whispered into her ear and then Kate is gone, being led to the front door arm-in-arm with Cordelia and leaving a flustered, blushing Misty behind to collect her thoughts.

Misty shakes her head and makes her way to the back porch, not caring to see how the rest of the night plays out for the two old schoolmates. Walking outside, she takes a seat on the white, wooden porch swing and heaves a tired sigh, grateful the evening is finally coming to a close.

A sense of peacefulness settles over her as she slowly exhales, allowing the calm feeling of being surrounded by nature to heal her like a soothing balm. The sky is clear and dark, and twinkling stars overhead tell centuries-old stories of love, war, and family. Misty relaxes her body into the swing, looking up and listening.

She's surprised to hear the light banging of the screen door some time later, until a familiar voice curses under her breath at the noise.

"I didn't mean to startle you," Cordelia says, her tone apologetic.

"You didn't," Misty lies kindly, keeping her eyes fixed on the sky.

"May I sit?" Cordelia whispers. Misty's breath hitches in her throat at the vulnerability in the older woman's voice, and she's surprised to find tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Cordelia has always been gentle with her, but when she's _soft_ like this, when she doesn't try to hide her feelings, it sets Misty aflame somewhere deep inside her soul. Her magic curls up, reaching for Cordelia, beckoning, begging her to come closer.

"Yes," Misty replies, still watching the stars. She feels the dip of Cordelia's body coming to rest in the space next to her, the swing rocking unsteadily beneath them for several moments before settling into a new equilibrium.

They sit together in silence for awhile, swaying back and forth. "Why did you change your hair?" Cordelia asks in a small voice, keeping her eyes locked on the wooden swing beneath her.

"I didn't _change it_ ," Misty replies in self-defense, closing her eyes in frustration as a single tear leaks from the corner. "I just wanted to… tame it, somehow."

"Why?" Cordelia asks desperately, losing her internal struggle and lifting her head to look at Misty.

Misty watches her, throat constricting as she meets Cordelia's penetrating stare with a helpless shrug.

"I wanted you to like it," Misty finally admits with a soft sigh, breaking eye contact and leaning back. She swallows past a hard lump sticking firmly in throat. "I wanted to you _notice_ it."

"And the makeup?" Cordelia asks breathlessly, keeping her brown eyes fixed on Misty's face.

"I wanted you to notice it," she repeats again. "To notice me."

Cordelia brings the gentle rocking of the swing to a shuddering stop. One hand reaches out to clasp Misty's wrist and hold her steady. "Why?" she asks, grazing her index finger over pale, sensitive skin.

Misty doesn't speak for a long moment, nor does she answer the question directly. Instead, she keeps her eyes closed and sighs, "I've been back for awhile now."

"Six months, three weeks, and two days," Cordelia murmurs, rattling off the exact timeframe with self-assured ease.

"And for six months, three weeks, and two days, I've been waiting for you to see that I am hopelessly, maddeningly, stupidly in love with you." She stops and takes a shaky breath, feeling Cordelia's hand still against her wrist. "And I would do _anything_ to be worthy of you. It may have taken me awhile to remember who I am, to put my shattered spirit back together, but my heart has never wavered, Cordelia, not even while I was fixin' myself." She's crying openly now, silent tears wetting her cheeks as she stares out into the pitch black yard. "All my broken pieces are yours to have," she finishes quietly, "and I'm sorry if they're not enough."

"Misty," Cordelia says in a hushed voice, eyes damp with emotion. "Misty, please look at me." She does so, hesitantly, and Cordelia reaches up to cup the rounds of her cheeks, letting her thumbs collect the fallen tears before brushing them away. "If I had known that the first time I held you in my arms would also be the last time I'd ever get to see you, I'd have ripped my soul in half trying to save even the smallest part of you. And when you were gone, all I could think about was how I never told you I love you."

Shaking her head, Misty lets out a watery, disbelieving laugh. Cordelia keeps her grip loose on the girl's face but refuses to let go, using the pads of her fingers to softly caress dewy skin. "I was an idiot then," she continues, "and maybe I've been an idiot these past six months, but I honestly thought I was doing the right thing for you." Misty pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, looking away from Cordelia and continuing to shake her head.

Cordelia coaxes Misty to look at her once again and stares deep into her azure eyes, silently pleading with her. "When we first met, I never imagined I'd fall in love with you. Being in love simply wasn't a priority, not with the world and the Coven crumbling down around me. But then I took your hand, and you showed me who you were - who you _are_ \- and that was it. There was no going back. In all the worlds, in any universe, my heart is yours."

"Then why…?" Misty starts to ask, voice catching on her own words. She pushes against Cordelia's hands, angrily swiping the moisture from her eyes, half-heartedly trying to pull away.

"I thought you needed time to heal," Cordelia explains, holding her tighter. "I wanted to give you space to find yourself again without having me around to complicate your feelings."

"But Kate," she starts, focusing her gaze on the ground, unwilling to let Cordelia see the truth of her emotions blazing behind her pupils.

"What about Kate?" Cordelia challenges, sliding her hands possessively through Misty's silky hair and lightly brushing a kiss to the corner of her brow.

"She's beautiful," Misty replies in a flat voice, eventually meeting Cordelia's stare, "and you have _history_."

"You're beautiful," Cordelia counters, using her strength to pull Misty closer. "I love every tangle in your hair, every speck of mud that stains your hands." She speaks with such conviction that Misty finally presses her wet cheek to Cordelia's, gently breathing into her ear.

"Prove it," she whispers after a moment, palms gripping Cordelia's sharp elbows.

* * *

Cordelia's fingers curl inside of her, twisting achingly slow before forcefully sliding back inside her slick walls. Misty lets out a gasp, arching up into Cordelia's hand as she pumps in and out of her warm center.

"Oh, Misty," Cordelia breathes, nipping her teeth at the younger witch's shoulder. She bites down hard enough to leave a mark and Misty grinds on Cordelia's palm in response, letting out a satisfied whine at the simultaneous feeling of pleasure and a bit of pain coming together.

They're in Cordelia's bed, Misty canting her hips upward as the Supreme writhes against her, her wetness coating the swamp witch's muscular thigh. Misty tightly grips Cordelia's waist, digging her nails into tender skin while the older woman rides her leg, loud moans tumbling from her lips.

Cordelia bends her head down towards Misty, steadily increasing their rhythm with each thrust of her hand, mouths meeting together in a heated kiss. "You're so beautiful," Cordelia gasps out, her hot breath ghosting over the sweat sliding down Misty's cheek. "So _fucking_ beautiful," she says again as she curls her fingers up before roughly sliding them deeper inside Misty. Cordelia twists her wrist on the next thrust and allows her thumb to press firmly against Misty's clit, eliciting a low, satisfied moan from the woman beneath her. The sound hits Cordelia right in her core, and she moves her body faster on Misty's thigh in response.

Misty increases her pressure on Cordelia's hips, helping her to grind more easily against her leg. Sharp breaths slip from Cordelia's throat for the next several seconds as she continues to ride up and down until her orgasm hits and she stills completely, fingers still buried inside of Misty as she throws her head back, crying out and and coming hard.

A string of terribly foul words spill from between Cordelia's lips and Misty stares at her in wonder, her own arousal spreading through her body until she's burning with need from the inside out. Desperate for more, she raises her lower half and starts fucking herself against Cordelia's hand while the Supreme takes a moment to come down from her high.

Cordelia slowly opens her eyes and Misty nearly whimpers. She is captivated by the flush of Cordelia's cheeks, the long, blonde hair cascading down her back, the sheen of sweat glistening on her chest. Her normally brown eyes have darkened to almost black, and she looks at Misty like she's the only source of light in a world full of darkness. Cordelia begins leisurely moving inside of Misty, exploring the hot silk of her inner walls. She sets a more languid pace, leaning forward to catch Misty's mouth in an ardent kiss, sliding their tongues together before pulling back and biting down on her pink bottom lip. Cordelia keeps her movements slow and deliberate as she kisses her way down Misty's lithe body, pausing in certain spots to paint bruises on her skin with sharp teeth and a soothing tongue. Misty sinks deeper into the pillows, closing her eyes and allowing herself to feel Cordelia all over her, inside of her.

Cordelia takes one nipple in her mouth and swirls her tongue around it, lightly tugging at the pert bud with her teeth. At the same time, she thrusts further into Misty and presses down. She can't help but smile into the younger witch's skin when she hears her growl out a husky moan of pleasure.

"Oh _fuck_ , Cordelia," Misty pants, scratching desperately at Cordelia's back. "Please," she begs, "please. I need…" Cordelia silences her pleas with a hard nip to her hip bone, fingers coiling inside of her.

"I know what you need, my darling," Cordelia whispers, placing gentle kisses on her pelvis. "And I promise I'm going to give it to you."

Cordelia slides all the way down the bed until she's fully positioned in front of Misty, using her left hand to spread her open before slowly gliding her tongue through her folds. Misty's nails immediately dig into Cordelia's scalp at the contact, pulling her closer and forcing her hips up against the wet heat of the older woman's mouth, eager to gain more friction. The Supreme pulses the flat of her tongue against her, rolling it over her sensitive bud before pushing her fingers deep inside and sucking until Misty cries out, scraping at her scalp. Cordelia repeats this motion over and over, relishing in the erotic feeling of Misty coming undone around her hand, in her mouth. Misty's cries grow louder as Cordelia picks up speed, thrusting harder and deeper while focusing on sliding her wet tongue up and down, up and down. With one final swipe and suck of her tongue, Misty comes undone, hips coming off the bed and rolling against Cordelia's mouth and fingers as her orgasm rips through her. She comes with a long cry, sweat trickling down her body as Cordelia's arms holds her steady, slowly dragging her wet tongue through her center and gently bringing Misty down from her euphoria.

Misty crosses one arm over eyes and breathes heavily, her freckled chest rising and falling as she works on regaining her composure. Cordelia finally pulls out of her with a sigh and slides their bodies together until she's pressing her lips to Misty's chest and neck, lazily licking and sucking at her salty skin.

"Proof enough?" she hums, grazing a kiss across Misty's cheek before burrowing into the crook of her neck.

Misty's long arms hug Cordelia closer as she places a lingering kiss into the crown of her hair. "I'm the luckiest duck in all the ponds," she admits, holding Cordelia flush against her. "My body's singin' songs I didn't even know it knew."

Cordelia smiles, crossing her leg over Misty's and curling into her side. "I'm sorry I made you doubt there could ever be anyone but you," she confesses, trailing her fingers up and down Misty's ribcage. Misty pulls her closer and traces the pads of her fingers down Cordelia's back, tickling at her sides. "It was never my intention."

"I know," Misty exhales, keeping her lips pressed into Cordelia's hair. "I know it wasn't."

"Kate used to be my best friend," Cordelia confides, letting her fingers dance over Misty's skin, dancing from rib to rib. "I didn't have many friends when I was younger, partially because I was shy but mostly because everyone knew my mother was the Supreme. They were scared of me." Her voice is soft and sad as she recounts her story. Misty wordlessly pulls her closer, wrapping her in a comforting hug. "And we stayed friends for awhile," she continues, "but Kate was always more interested in making it to that top rung. She _loved_ that my mother was the Supreme, she never stopped telling me how lucky I was - and at the time, I had no one else. So I let her in, I let myself care about her, and we were good friends. After she moved back to England, I barely heard from her… until she found out I took over as the Supreme, and then she surprised me with a last minute visit. I know it sounds stupid, but she's part of the few fond memories I have from my childhood - even if that makes me pathetic."

"You're not pathetic," Misty asserts. "Shit, I was so lonely back in my swamp, I basically tried to kidnap Kyle from Zoe just so I'd have someone to talk to." Cordelia laughs, burying the sound in the space where Misty's neck curves into her shoulder. "And you don't have to justify your friendship with anyone to me, even when the sight of 'em makes me shatter a wine glass - and a beaker from the greenhouse. Sorry about that, by the way," she says, never ceasing the strumming of her fingers against Cordelia's back.

"Misty?" Cordelia asks, raising her head so she can look Misty in the eyes.

"Yes, darlin'?"

"Why _did_ you get so upset today?" There is nothing accusatory in her simple question, no blame or anger. Misty leans forward to kiss her gently, tenderly caressing one hand up and down her spine.

"I'm not used to sharing you with anyone," she admits with a blush. "I've loved you for so long, Cordelia, and when Nan brought me back from hell, all I could think about was finally having the opportunity to tell you how I felt."

"But you didn't," Cordelia states, lovingly brushing her lips over Misty's collarbone.

"No," Misty agrees, "I didn't."

Cordelia settles her palm over Misty's heart, enjoying the steady thump of the organ and allowing it to ease her worried mind. Misty closes her eyes at the soothing contact and tries to memorize how it feels to have the woman she loves draped over her, comforting her, making love to her. Just in case. Just in case this is a terribly cruel dream and she wakes up tomorrow with nothing but a hazy memory of how it feels to be with Cordelia.

"I missed you more than anything when I was trapped down there, and for the first month of bein' back I could hardly believe I didn't need to feel that way anymore. We could be cookin' up magic in the greenhouse or sitting right next to each other at the table, and I still missed you so much it _ached_ inside of me. It was the only thing I could feel."

"I couldn't stop touching you. I had to make sure you were real," Cordelia admits, stroking one finger over Misty's chest.

"I didn't want you to stop," Misty replies, briefly tightening her grip on the woman before brushing another kiss into her hair. "It was so consuming, feeling that way. Then, as time went on, I realized you weren't just 'Miss Cordelia: headmistress' anymore - you're the _Supreme_."

Cordelia makes a noise like she's about to protest but stops when Misty shakes her head, a mop of blonde curls grazing Cordelia's face. "I'd always wondered if it was gonna be you, and I can't say I was surprised when I walked through those doors and saw you all glowy and Supreme-like. And you were just so _goshdang_ beautiful, for a minute I thought Nan had taken me from hell straight into my heaven."

Misty pauses when she feels soft lashes tickling her neck and a hot tear splash against her skin. "Keep going, please," Cordelia says, her voice thick with emotion.

"Time kept moving," Misty says simply. "You're the Supreme - you had classes, conferences, meetings, press appearances. You're important, you come from important blood. And I love watching you flourish," she grins, kissing her once more. "It absolutely warms me deep in my heart. I still miss you, especially when you have to travel. And I still love you with everything inside of me, but I was okay loving you from afar while you did your thing. Because when you were home, you were with me."

Cordelia doesn't deny any of this. Every single moment with Misty over the past half year is seared into her heart. Every time she had to travel for the Supremacy, she'd felt an emptiness in her gut until she called and spoke to Misty, who reassured her she was fine, she missed her, and she'd see her when she got home. And when she was home, they spent every free moment together, drinking tea on the back porch, tending to the greenhouse, visiting Misty's shack so she could check on her gator friends and have a much-needed nature reprieve.

"I love you, Cordelia, and that's why I never told you. You'd lived a whole life while I was gone, you had to in order to save our Coven. But even when I came back from hell, I was still just me. Just Misty Day, Lafayette swamp rat. Not only that, I was _broken_. I had nothing to offer you."

"Misty," Cordelia whispers, choking on her name and desperately pressing her lips up to Misty's jawbone. "You're everything to me. You always have been."

Misty inhales sharply when Cordelia shifts up, moulding their bodies together until she's peering down at Misty with fire blazing in her eyes. "You're everything," she states again, bending to catch soft, pink lips with her own as she pours every pent up emotion she's held back into their kiss. " _Everything_ ," she breathes, rolling her hips against Misty's one more time.

Misty slides her hands down Cordelia, coming to rest over the dimples in her back as she parts her mouth to accept Cordelia's kiss. "I just wanna be good enough for you," Misty whispers when they pull apart, barely a centimeter of space left between them. She reaches up to tuck back a strand of Cordelia's silky hair as it falls across her cheek. "Today, when I first met Kate, I realized for the first time how much you deserve someone who's good for you. Someone classy and shiny, and who knows which fork to use at those fancy Supreme events you have to go to… and someone who's _whole_." She pauses, takes a shallow breath. "As much as I selfishly want you to love me, I want the best for you. And I ain't it."

Cordelia roughly presses her mouth to Misty's, silencing her with another kiss. This kiss is harder, more insistent than their others, and Misty gasps in surprise. Cordelia deepens the kiss, pouring every ounce of love she has into it, wanting to fill Misty from toes to head with the adoration she feels for her. Misty's nails scratch at her scalp and lower back, kissing her like Cordelia's the sun and she's a flower, yearning for light and warmth in order to survive.

They break apart, both releasing ragged, heavy breaths as they stare at each other. Misty's blue eyes are now navy with lust, flicking from Cordelia's gaze down to her full lips, still parted as she exhales. The Supreme stares at her steadily, almost stern in her intensity. "You're good for me," she insists. "I love you, Misty Day, do you hear me? I love you. And that's that."

Misty thinks for a moment, quietly observing the woman before her. "Yes ma'am," she finally agrees, smiling as Cordelia leans down to kiss her again.

* * *

" _Jesus Christ_ ," Cordelia groans, body bouncing lightly when Misty flops down into the pillows beside her. Cordelia lays there with her eyes closed, boneless and spent, as she focuses on evening out her breathing. Misty swipes the back of her hand against her damp chin, using the other to clasp Cordelia's fingers between hers in an affectionate squeeze.

"Don't touch me," Cordelia mumbles, pawing her hand at Misty's.

"Aw, now you don't really mean that, do you, sugar?" she replies with a predatory smirk. Cordelia turns to face Misty and quirks open one eye, fixing her lover with a playful glare.

"I know your game, woman," she accuses. "You pretend to be all white light and love, but the truth is you're _evil_."

"Evil?" Misty replies, raising one eyebrow in amusement.

"Mmhm, Satan," Cordelia hums, turning her body until she's fully sprawled over Misty, keeping her eyes closed as she snuggles into her warmth.

"Satan," Misty confirms with a flirtatious nod. "Is that why you've been calling out for the Lord all night? Because you're lookin' to repent?"

"Shut up," Cordelia mutters, swatting away Misty's wandering fingers as they dance over her naked body.

"Y'know," Misty starts mischievously, kissing Cordelia's cheek. "There is… one more thing I want."

"What's that?" the Supreme asks, slowly blinking her eyes open. Misty looks at her with an impish grin, blue eyes creasing with mirth.

"Food."

* * *

The two witches giggle as they sneak down to the kitchen, trying to avoid waking the other girls. Misty dons a long Fleetwood Mac concert tee over her underwear, clutching tightly at Cordelia's arms. The Supreme has a short, satin robe wrapped around her, covering the essentials - unless you're Misty, in which case the "essentials" also include the long, bare expanse of thigh that is _so very visible_ as they tiptoe down the stairs.

Huddling for warmth in front of the fridge, Misty grabs a container of cold pasta, leftovers from dinner several days prior. Cordelia stays close behind, refusing to let go even when Misty reaches up to grab a bowl and slides open the utensil drawer to retrieve two forks.

Dumping the noodles into a ceramic bowl and popping it into the microwave, Misty turns in Cordelia's arms and pulls her in for a fervent kiss. Cordelia presses her entire body against Misty's, hands sliding under the soft cotton of her shirt and over her hip bones, working her way up over pointed ribs until she's palming the swell of her breasts.

The harsh beeping of the microwave catches them off-guard and they pull apart with a breathless laugh, Misty smacking away Cordelia's wandering touch as she grabs the heated pasta and moves towards the kitchen table. "Food," she instructs, heartily digging her fork into the steaming noodles and shoving them in her mouth with a contented sigh.

Cordelia picks up her own fork and starts eating, lips curved into a wide, amused smile.

"What're you lookin' at?" Misty asks, swiping her fingers over her face. "Do I have sauce on me or somethin'?"

"No," Cordelia says, her smile stretching across her face. "It's just… you're just so unbelievably beautiful."

"Oh, shush," Misty blushes, ducking her head. "Eat your pasta."

* * *

"I forgot," Cordelia exclaims a short while later, "I bought you something today." The two witches are in back in Cordelia's bedroom after their late-night snack, with Misty sitting cross-legged on the bed and watching the Supreme as she studies herself in the vanity mirror, wiping off the day's makeup.

It takes Misty a moment to respond, the younger witch fixated on how stunning Cordelia looks, barefaced and glowing under the moonlight streaming through the windows. _Ethereal_ , she thinks to herself. _Otherworldly, even._ "You got me somethin'?" she finally asks, pulling herself out of her daze and meeting Cordelia's expectant stare. "What'd you get me?"

"Wait here," Cordelia instructs before hurrying out of the room and down the stairs, grabbing a small bag from the pile Kyle had put in her office. When she returns, she joins Misty in the center of the bed, coming to rest on her knees as she hands over the gift. "Open it."

Misty leans over crossed legs and kisses Cordelia on the cheek before taking the bag from her hands and peering inside. "Holy shit," she smiles, pulling out a thin, delicate garment and wrapping it around her shoulders. "This might be the prettiest one I've ever seen," she says happily. Newly draped over her lithe frame is a gauzy, lace shawl, the color of champagne, with thin tassels dangling at the bottom that swish together when Misty shimmies her shoulders in delight.

"So you like it?" Cordelia asks shyly, reaching out to run one finger over the material.

"Like it?" Misty says, bringing her arms up like a bird in flight and brushing her nose against Cordelia's. "I _love_ it." She pushes forward suddenly and tackles Cordelia, catching her off guard and placing kisses all over her face until they're both rolling together on the bed in a fit of giggles. Misty's laughter is a serious disadvantage, Cordelia decides, because the sound is so enticing that she can do nothing to gain the upperhand, allowing the younger woman to pin her down and playfully nip at her neck.

Misty leans over her, holding the shawl up like a veiled curtain and dangling it over their heads. "Do you wanna know something?" she whispers with a smile, curly, blonde waves falling forward and tickling Cordelia's cheek.

"What's that?" Cordelia replies, reaching her hand up to smooth Misty's hair behind her ear. The silvery light from the moon shines in fractals through the gauze, giving the woman above her the celestial appearance of an angel.

"I think I'm addicted to you," Misty admits, blue eyes shining with honesty.

Cordelia's eyes fill with tears as she threads one hand in Misty's curls, pulling her down until their lips are pressed together and she's kissing her, kissing with intensity, like she's waited forever for this one, singular moment. She kisses her relentlessly, the way a thunderstorm pelts unforgivingly against the fragile glass of a window, or the ocean continues its unyielding crest upon the shore. Her fingers quickly find the hem of Misty's cotton tee and she roughly shoves it upwards, nails scraping over lean abs until the younger witch rips her own shirt off and throws it somewhere across the room.

"Keep the shawl on," Cordelia demands, shuddering when Misty hikes the golden fabric around her lithe frame and gives her a devilish smile before teasingly rolling her hips forward, pressing their centers together. Cordelia rakes her nails down Misty's thighs before digging into her soft flesh, massaging her thumbs into the thick muscles flexing overtop her. Tightening her grip, Cordelia pushes the woman upwards as she slides her own body down across the mattress, letting out a satisfied moan when Misty finally comes to rest just above her warm mouth.

Cordelia leisurely drags the tip of her tongue along the outside of Misty's cotton underwear, pressing firmly when she reaches the cloth covering the small bump of her clit. Misty's breath hitches in her throat and Cordelia smiles into the damp fabric, flicking her tongue once more. Using a featherlight touch, she strokes two fingers up Misty's pale legs before dipping them inside the cotton and dragging her panties down to her knees. The cool night air makes Misty gasp, and Cordelia looks up to drink in the view - Misty hovering above her, eyes closed with her head thrown back, naked except for the thin, golden shawl covering her shoulders. Cordelia smiles to herself, using her fingers to part Misty's center before yanking her against her mouth. She slides her tongue between the folds, licking up and down several times before finally wrapping her lips around Misty's clit, sucking as she flicks the tip of her velvet tongue against the hardened bud.

Misty arches her back until her lower half is fully against Cordelia's face, rhythmically rocking her hips against Cordelia's mouth and chin. Her long arms reach behind her bowed back and she digs her nails into Cordelia's waist for leverage, crying out when the woman beneath her snakes one arm up and and pushes two fingers deep inside her core. " _Cordelia_ , oh, fuck," she cries out, closing her eyes and grinding herself harder into the wet heat of Cordelia's mouth. She feels her arousal spreading on Cordelia's face but can't bring herself to care, can't seem to feel anything other than _how fucking good_ it is to have the Supreme's hot tongue sliding against her, slowly massaging her most sensitive parts. Cordelia curls her fingers inside of Misty with one final suck before the witch comes undone, panting and shaking as her orgasm tears through her. Her back stiffens and her slim thighs quake, and she's trembling above Cordelia as a hot rush of come coats the woman's mouth and chin - but all Misty feels is the electric current of burning pleasure thrumming throughout her entire body as her hips involuntarily buck down against Cordelia's face. Cordelia grants Misty a couple seconds of reprieve, momentarily allowing her to come down from her orgasm before pressing a warm tongue against her once more, massaging in hot, deliberate circles. A low moan rips its way out of Misty's throat as she comes a second time, tremors wracking her body and forcing her to scratch at Cordelia's waist to stay upright.

"Shit, Cordelia," she murmurs, carefully rolling off the woman and onto her back as she gasps for air. "I sure hope you really like me because you're never getting rid of me now." Cordelia hums in agreement, self-satisfied smirk firmly in place as she crawls up the bed to join Misty. "Although next time, I should probably face the headboard," she laughs, holding out her arms to welcome Cordelia as she folds into her body, "y'know, for my safety."

Cordelia presses gentle open mouthed kisses on Misty's neck, climbing up her skin until their mouths meet in an unhurried kiss. Misty moans at the taste of herself on the other woman's lips, fisting her hands in Cordelia's silken hair to pull her closer.

"I do, you know," the Supreme gasps softly as they part, sincere brown eyes locking onto blue.

"You do what?" Misty asks, hugging her close, eyes fluttering with sleep.

"Really like you," she replies, running soothing fingers over Misty's sides.

The sun begins its gradual ascent in the sky as dawn breaks, pale, yellow light gently filtering in through the window. The two sated women stay wrapped up in each other, limbs heavy with satisfied exhaustion and oblivious to the world as it quietly wakes around them.

* * *

They eventually wake around noon, just in time for a quick (shared) shower before sauntering downstairs and joining the rest of the house for lunch. Walking into the kitchen hand-in-hand, Misty smiles widely at her friends and confidently tugs Cordelia towards the fridge, completely focused on the task at hand - which, in true Misty Day fashion, is immediately finding something to eat.

Madison's lips quirk into a smug smile as she watches Misty rummage through their groceries, instantly honing in on the blue and purple marks covering her long neck. Her eyes trail up Misty's slender frame until she feels a different set of eyes blazing into her, and she lifts her gaze to meet Cordelia's dark stare. The Supreme is staring daggers at her, and Madison's pretty sure she should be worried because looks can _definitely, actually_ kill in this household and her skin already feel a bit tingly.

"Relax, Cordy," she smirks, nodding at Misty's marred skin, "consider your message _very much_ received." And with that, she struts out of the room, unlocking her phone and beginning yet another endless cycle of scrolling through her social media. "You didn't have to maim the poor girl," she adds, nonchalantly tossing the suggestion over her shoulder.

Misty's arms are full of miscellaneous items, par for the course, when Cordelia stiffens and turns to face the other girls.

"Misty and I are dating," she announces loudly.

For a moment, no one speaks. Having missed the entire exchange between Cordelia and Madison while in pursuit of accoutrement to go with her bagel, Misty's grip slackens in surprise and everything she's pulled from the fridge clatters to the floor. A cheese wedge rolls silently, round and round like a tossed quarter until it finally settles against the tile with a quiet _thunk_.

"Uhm… yup," she adds helpfully.

"Well," Zoe says, clearing her throat and setting down the plate she'd been washing. "Okay, then."

And with that, the household shifts back into its natural working order. Misty looks at Cordelia with a small smile and presses a kiss to her cheek, blue eyes shining with love. "Can I make you lunch, darlin'?" she asks, bending down to retrieve the fumbled items.

"I'd love nothing more," Cordelia says, gripping Misty's hand affectionately and following her to the counter. Keeping one hand settled on Misty's back, Cordelia relaxes, absorbing the wonderful simplicity of their domestic moment before gently kissing Misty's neck and squeezing their palms together.

In the other room, Madison whispers harshly into her cell phone. "No, I _told you_ it would happen last night, and it did!" she exclaims, glancing behind her to make sure no one else heard her. "Exactly," she affirms, nodding to the empty room. "No, seriously, Kate, you owe me fifty bucks." She sighs, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Yes, Venmo is fine."

She hangs up with a huff, tossing her phone onto the couch in a fit of irritation. Now that _that_ is over with, she has nothing else to occupy her mind except how not to get sneezed on by careless five year olds. She sighs and looks around the vacant room, nothing catching her eye. "We really need to invest in cable television up in this bitch."

* * *

"Should we be bothered that the other girls are bettin' on us?" Misty asks distractedly, closely examining the leaves of their freshly healed _calendula officinalis_ and grinning as Cordelia slides her nimble hands around her waist, hugging her from behind.

"And by _other girls_ do you mean Madison?" Cordelia replies, an unintended edge hardening her words as she posessively buries her nose into Misty's blonde tangles.

"I mean, yeah, Maddy and Kate are clearly in rich girl cahoots with each other. And what's a Venmo?" she asks as an afterthought, reaching for a small watering can so she can cool the plant's dry soil.

"Misty… you and Madison… you haven't - I mean, you didn't - right? You two never, um?" Cordelia says, choosing not to respond to Misty's observation in spite of its accuracy. Her spine stiffens, grip tightening imperceptibly as she tries to spit out what ends up being less of a question and more of a plea.

Misty turns and stares at her for a moment, lines of confusion furrowing between her brows. "We didn't wha - _oh_ , oh God, no! Why on earth would you - just, _no_ , no, a thousand times no," she vehemently denies, mouth curving into an amused smile at the look of relief on Cordelia's face.

"Never mind," she replies, embarrassment coating her words. "Madison just likes to get under my skin, apparently."

"Yeah, well, no shit," Misty grins, grabbing Cordelia's hand with her mud-covered fingers. "What's that you said to me last night? 'In all the worlds, in any universe, my heart is yours.'"

Cordelia blushes, pleased, and brings her hands to Misty's cheek, tenderly caressing the smooth skin beneath her fingertips. "I'll tell you every day if you need me to," she says, catching Misty's smile in a sweet kiss.

"Right back atcha, baby," Misty responds. "I'll even sing it to you, if you want," she teases, humming a made up melody against Cordelia's lips.

Misty Day isn't used to this feeling. Cordelia smiles, laughs, looks at Misty like she's responsible for hanging every star in the night sky, and a band of wild butterflies take flight in her stomach, her heart soaring with love. Emotion floods her veins when she holds Cordelia close, murmuring promises of love and forever against her parted lips until they're both breathless.

All around them, the greenhouse thrives, vines unfurling and winding up the walls as young flowers bloom and saplings burst into fully grown house-trees. _Intention_ , Misty thinks happily, reveling in the feeling of Cordelia's love as the world comes alive around them. _Our intention is strong enough_.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading. I had MAJOR help with this story and could not have finished it without Gigi, Leigh, Aimee, Lara, and Carissa.**

 **You can find me on Twitter/Tumblr at michaelawaffles or on CuriousCat** **at macncheeze. Send me prompts. :)**


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